Frank Ricciardelli's 1939 Lincoln Zephyr - Rare Treat

The list of show-stopping Lincoln Zephyr customs is not long. A few radically modified specimens that come to mind are Mike Shiflett's copper and silver '38, Roger O'Dell's black and gold '38, Bones Noteboom's '39 woodie, and of course Terry Cook's purple '39.

One look at Cook's wildly reworked custom Zephyr, better known as "Scrape," was all it took to convince Frank Ricciardelli that his next street rod project was going to be one of these art deco beauties. He found an outstanding '39 in Alabama, freshly restored after a five-year buildup. Frank made sure not to mention to the seller that he would be driving the car directly to Fatman Fabrications in Charlotte to begin undoing much of the work that had just been completed. At Fatman, Brent Vandervort added a Mustang II frontend and bags from Air Ride Technologies. When the chassiswork was completed, Frank continued up the East Coast to Dover, Delaware, home of Ram's Rod Shop. Ramsey Mosher, owner of Ram's, had built "Scrape" for Terry Cook, and although Frank was looking for a far milder custom than Cook's '39, he wanted the same level of workmanship.

"It was already good looking just as a stock car," Frank explained. "I thought that with just a few modifications, it would just look outstanding." The transformation from restored classic to outstanding custom took a year and a half. Some of the modifications made by the crew at Ram's during that time include a top chop, cut-down hood, reworked bumpers, and shaved sheetmetal. Everything was done to enhance the original streamlined lines of the car, not change them. Where it looked bulky, it now looks trim. Where it looked long and low, it now looks longer and lower. The two-tone gray paint combination adds to the effect. The darker color on the fenders and running boards emphasizes their massiveness and contributes to the inches-off-the-pavement appearance of Frank's Zephyr.

Under the hood, the factory-correct flathead V-12 was replaced by a 460ci engine from a junkyard '76 Lincoln, which is a much more practical choice for a car intended for street use. In the passenger compartment, much of the stock appearance (which was pretty futuristic 65 years ago) was maintained, with a few contemporary elements added to update the mild-custom look and to improve overall function and comfort.

After the Zephyr was finally finished, Frank retraced his steps a little, taking the car back to Charlotte to participate in the Goodguys Nats at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where the car won the Class Act award. Since then, the Zephyr has been seen at York, Macungie, Rhinebeck, and other East Coast events. Frank sent a few photos of the Zephyr to the previous owner in Alabama to find out if he approved of his old classic now that it is an award-winning street rod. He never heard back.

Frank RicciardelliMonmouth Beach, New Jersey'39 Lincoln Zephyr

Drivetrain: Naturally, the Zephyr in its restored state was running a flathead V-12, which was the cool (but not very practical) stock powerplant in these cars. The 460ci that replaced it was pulled from a '76 Continental found in a wrecking yard. The single-carbureted 460 was kept essentially stock and dressed up with pulleys from Street & Performance. The engine is backed up by a C6 transmission.

Chassis: The stock Zephyr chassis (welded to the body) was in good shape, having been part of a recent five-year restoration project when Frank bought the car, so major repairs were not necessary. Even so, Frank was looking to improve the ride and appearance, which was accomplished at Fatman Fabrications in Charlotte, where a Mustang II independent front suspension was added, along with airbags from Air Ride Technologies. The steering components from a '76 Lincoln were added, as well as front disc brakes and rear drums. The '57 Ford rearend runs a 3.10:1 gear ratio.

Wheels & Tires: This is the area where customizers can go very wrong, but Frank did right with this combination of 15-inch chromed steelies with caps and P215/75R15 whitewall radials from Coker. The low-key rims don't distract from the rest of the car, and the 2 1/2-inch whitewalls contrast the dark gray fenders and fit the classic body style just right.

Body & Paint: Ram Mosher and Jeff Wilhelm performed most of the bodywork at Ram's Rod Shop, where 2 1/2 inches were chopped out of the top. Hinges were hidden, and the hood and side panels were dechromed except for a single trim piece along the beltline. The stock headlights and taillights were retained, and custom parking lights were added. All new bumper brackets were fabricated and the rear bumper was narrowed 4 inches. Frank didn't want a radical paint job that would clash with the conservative look of the car. Ram says the pearl gray and charcoal gray are '95 Chrysler colors "doctored up a little bit" with some silver. Buddy Dunning at Ram's shot the paint.

Interior: The initial interior work was performed by Matt Boller at Tip Top Trim Shop in Dover, Delaware, with further work done by Bobby Sapp at Sapp's Auto Interiors in Milford, Delaware. The split bench seat was re-covered in two-tone leather. The car had been equipped with a radio and ashtray on either side of the speedometer, which were replaced with vents for the Vintage Air A/C system. The factory speedometer was upgraded to 12-volt by United Speedometer, and the custom 2-inch column drop houses a Stewart-Warner amp gauge and controls for the Air Ride Technologies bags. The Grant steering wheel features a Lincoln center cap.